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Resin vs. Amorolfine vs. Terbinafine Treatment in Onychomycosis

Efficacy of Topical Resin Lacquer, Amorolfine, and Oral Terbinafine for Treating Toenail Onychomycosis: a Prospective, Randomized, Controlled, Investigator-blinded, Parallel-group Clinical Trial

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01851590
Enrollment
129
Registered
2013-05-10
Start date
2013-10-31
Completion date
2014-10-31
Last updated
2015-11-30

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Onychomycosis

Keywords

Dermatophyte onychomycosis, Fungal nail infection, Resin Lacquer, Amorolfine, Terbinafine

Brief summary

The current study is conducted to corroborate the previous observational clinical trial with more valid methods and a more clinically relevant experimental design. This study aims to compare efficacy, safety, and cost between topically administered 30% resin lacquer for the treatment of dermatophyte toenail onychomycosis and the current best practices: topical 5% amorolfine and systemic terbinafine.

Detailed description

The aim of this prospective, investigator-blinded, randomized and controlled clinical trial is to explore potential differences between 5 % amorolfine and 30 % resin lacquer in topical treatment of onychomycosis. In addition, topical treatment methods are compared with the most effective 'drug of choice' for onychomycosis according the current guidelines i.e. oral medication with terbinafine. Altogether 90 patients (the aim is to collect the 30 patients per group) who have culture or potassium hydroxide (KOH) stain verified dermatophyte onychomycosis are randomly allocated into 3 treatment groups to receive either topical treatment or oral medication for toenail onychomycosis classified as follows: 1. White superficial onychomycosis (WSO) 2. Distal and lateral subungual onychomycosis (DLSO) 3. Proximal subungual onychomycosis (PSO) 4. \[Total dystrophic onychomycosis) (TDO)\] \[Excluded\] 5. \[Candidal onychomycosis\] \[Excluded\] Participants are randomized into 3 groups to receive: 1. Topical treatment: 30 % resin lacquer (Abicin®) applied once daily for 9 months. 2. Topical treatment: 5 % amorolfine lacquer (Loceryl®) applied once weekly for 9 months. 3. Oral medication: 250 mg terbinafine taken orally once daily for 3 months. All patients visit at outpatient department before the launch of the study, and 3 and 9 months thereafter. Clinical examination is done by 4 physicians. During the 42-week study period, laboratory tests are conducted on samples collected before treatment, at 20 weeks, and at 42 weeks. The tests include a fungal culture, KOH staining of the toenail sample, and blood tests. Cultures and KOH microscopy are performed in an independent, specialised mycology laboratory with standard techniques (Medix Laboratories Ltd., Helsinki, Finland). The blood tests measure plasma γ-glutamyl transferase levels (also at 2 weeks); plasma creatinine levels; the total number of white blood cells, including neutrophils, monocytes, basophils, lymphocytes, and eosinophils; the total number of red blood cells, including erythrocytes and haematocrit; erythrocyte indices, including the mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, and haemoglobin level; and the total number thrombocytes (initially and at 42 weeks). During the control visits, sequential digital photographs of the most disfigured and brittle toenails are acquired. In the three phone calls, patients are asked about potential treatment-related side effects, compliance with treatment, patients' perception of treatment outcome, and their willingness to continue in the study. In each treatment arm, the treatment regimen is discontinued 5 weeks before the last toenail sampling to provide an appropriate washout period before the final culture and KOH analysis. To ensure safety and to assess potential contraindications for the treatment regimens, all patients included in the study undergo a comprehensive medical interview and physical examination. To identify patients who may develop intolerable adverse events due to drug combinations, all concurrent medications are cross-checked to verify compatibility with resin, amorolfine, and terbinafine regimens at the beginning of the study. All patients are informed of the possibility of developing a hypersensitivity to resin, amorolfine, or terbinafine. If patients experienced symptoms that corresponded to any level of hypersensitivity, they are dropped from the study.

Interventions

DEVICEResin Lacquer

30% Resin Lacquer is applied once daily for 9 months (Abicin®) in toenail onychomycosis.

5% Amorolfine Lacquer is applied once weekly for 9 months (Loceryl®) in toenail onychomycosis.

250 mg of Terbinafine is taken orally once daily for 3 months (Generics) in toenail onychomycosis.

Sponsors

Repolar Pharmaceuticals Oy
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
Helsinki University Central Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 90 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Positive dermatophyte culture in the beginning of the study obtained from the toenail sample. * Positive KOH stain in the beginning of the study obtained from the toenail sample.

Exclusion criteria

* Any other nail disease than dermatophyte culture or KOH stain verified onychomycosis * Onychomycosis caused by yeasts or nondermatophyte molds * Kidney failure determined by plasma creatinine level (P-Krea \> 100 μmol/l) * Liver failure determined by plasma γ-glutamyltransferase level (P-GT \> 120 U/I) * Sensitivity or allergy to Resin, Amorolfine or Terbinafine * Potential adverse cross-reaction of Terbinafine, Amorolfine or Resin with the patient's permanent medication * Presence of total dystrophic onychomycosis (TDO) * Any topical or oral antifungal treatment within the 6 months before the beginning of the study (washout period \> 6 months).

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Mycological CureAt 4- and 10 months time-points from the beginning of the study.To analyze the rate of complete mycological cure i.e. fungal eradication in terms of negative mycological culture AND negative potassium hydroxide (KOH) stain at 4- and 10 months time-points from the beginning of the study.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Clinical Responses to the TreatmentsAt 4- and 10 months time-points from the beginning of the study.Clinical responses to treatment were based on the proximal linear growth of healthy nail; thus, the clinical responses were classified as partial (evident proximal linear growth of healthy nail) or complete. Partial responses were defined as significant reductions in onycholysis, subungual hyperkeratosis, and streaks. A complete response was a fully normal appearance of the toenail.
Cost-effectiveness 1At 10-month time-pointCost analysis was based on the retail price (€) and consumption of a 10 ml bottle of Abicin® 30% resin lacquer, a 5 ml bottle of Loceryl® 5% amorolfine lacquer, and 98 tablets of generic 250 mg terbinafine, sold by the University Pharmacy in Helsinki, Finland, January 2014. The cost was expressed as the average treatment cost per patient; for the total cost, this average was extrapolated to the entire study treatment arm. The results show the treatment costs (€) per day per patient in each group.
Cost-effectiveness 2At 10-month time-pointCost analysis was based on the retail price (€) and consumption of a 10 ml bottle of Abicin® 30% resin lacquer, a 5 ml bottle of Loceryl® 5% amorolfine lacquer, and 98 tablets of generic 250 mg terbinafine, sold by the University Pharmacy in Helsinki, Finland, January 2014. The cost was expressed as the average treatment cost per patient; for the total cost, this average was extrapolated to the entire study treatment arm. The results show the treatment costs (€) during the treatment period per patient in each group.
Compliance to the TreatmentAt 4-month time-pointEvaluation of compliance was based on patient self-reports of whether the treatment protocol was followed 100% (complete), 80% (good), 60% (moderate), or 40% (poor) of the time.

Countries

Finland

Participant flow

Recruitment details

In November 2013, on the basis of a newspaper advertisement, a total of 129 adult volunteers were assessed for eligibility at Vääksy Medical Center, Finland. Eligible subjects were required to provide toenail samples for screening. Inclusion criteria were a positive dermatophyte culture and a positive potassium hydroxide (KOH) stain.

Pre-assignment details

Of those 129 patients screened, 48 (37%) were excluded due to negative KOH staining or cultures and 8 (6%) were excluded because onychomycosis was caused by nondermatophyte mold or yeast. At baseline, 73 (57%) patients who met the entry criteria were randomly allocated to receive 1 of 3 therapies for dermatophyte onychomycosis (3 treatment arms).

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Resin Lacquer Arm
Topical treatment: 30 % Resin Lacquer (Abicin®) Resin Lacquer is administered locally in the form of lacquer (Abicin®) onto infected nail once a day for 9 months in toenail onychomycosis.
23
Amorolfine Lacquer Arm
Topical treatment with 5 % Amorolfine Lacquer (Loceryl®) Amorolfine Lacquer is administered locally in the form of lacquer (Loceryl®) onto infected nail once a week for 9 months in toenail onychomycosis.
25
Terbinafine Arm
Oral medication with 250 mg Terbinafine / day Terbinafine 250 mg is administered orally once a day for 3 months in toenail onychomycosis.
25
Total73

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001FG002
Overall StudyAdverse Event002
Overall StudyLack of Efficacy010
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject001

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicResin Lacquer ArmAmorolfine Lacquer ArmTerbinafine ArmTotal
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
5 Participants5 Participants5 Participants15 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
18 Participants20 Participants20 Participants58 Participants
BMI25 kg/m^2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 3
27 kg/m^2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4
27 kg/m^2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4
26 kg/m^2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4
Plasma creatinine76 μmol/l
STANDARD_DEVIATION 15
78 μmol/l
STANDARD_DEVIATION 13
79 μmol/l
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11
78 μmol/l
STANDARD_DEVIATION 14
Plasma γ-glutamyl transferase29 U/I21 U/I27 U/I25 U/I
Positive mycological culture in toenail samples23 participants25 participants25 participants73 participants
Region of Enrollment
Finland
23 participants25 participants25 participants73 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
2 Participants5 Participants8 Participants15 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
21 Participants20 Participants17 Participants58 Participants
Specific dermatophyte species in mycological culture
Trichophyton mentagrophytes
3 participants1 participants4 participants8 participants
Specific dermatophyte species in mycological culture
Trichophyton rubrum
20 participants24 participants21 participants65 participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
EG002
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —— / —— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 230 / 252 / 25
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 230 / 250 / 25

Outcome results

Primary

Mycological Cure

To analyze the rate of complete mycological cure i.e. fungal eradication in terms of negative mycological culture AND negative potassium hydroxide (KOH) stain at 4- and 10 months time-points from the beginning of the study.

Time frame: At 4- and 10 months time-points from the beginning of the study.

Population: Primary and secondary outcome analyses were based on the intent-to-treat (ITT) population and missing values were imputed using the last observation carried forward (LOCF) method.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (NUMBER)
Resin Lacquer ArmMycological CureMycological cure at 4-month17 Percentage of participants
Resin Lacquer ArmMycological CureMycological cure at 10-month13 Percentage of participants
Amorolfine Lacquer ArmMycological CureMycological cure at 4-month28 Percentage of participants
Amorolfine Lacquer ArmMycological CureMycological cure at 10-month8 Percentage of participants
Terbinafine ArmMycological CureMycological cure at 4-month16 Percentage of participants
Terbinafine ArmMycological CureMycological cure at 10-month56 Percentage of participants
Comparison: The sample size was estimated according to complete mycological cure at 10 months. Estimation was based on the design of a binary-outcome head-to-head superiority trial. Orally administered terbinafine treatment was considered the active control. Approximately 25 patients / arm were required to have 80% power (β=0.2) at a two-sided α=0.05 significance level to detect a decrease in primary outcome from 50% in the terbinafine arm to 15% in the amorolfine or resin lacquer treatment arms.p-value: <0.05Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel
Secondary

Clinical Responses to the Treatments

Clinical responses to treatment were based on the proximal linear growth of healthy nail; thus, the clinical responses were classified as partial (evident proximal linear growth of healthy nail) or complete. Partial responses were defined as significant reductions in onycholysis, subungual hyperkeratosis, and streaks. A complete response was a fully normal appearance of the toenail.

Time frame: At 4- and 10 months time-points from the beginning of the study.

Population: Intention-to-treat population, last observation carried forward.

ArmMeasureGroupValue (NUMBER)
Resin Lacquer ArmClinical Responses to the TreatmentsPartial clinical response at 4-month0 percentage of participants
Resin Lacquer ArmClinical Responses to the TreatmentsComplete clinical response at 4-month0 percentage of participants
Resin Lacquer ArmClinical Responses to the TreatmentsPartial clinical response at 10-month30 percentage of participants
Resin Lacquer ArmClinical Responses to the TreatmentsComplete clinical response at 10-month0 percentage of participants
Amorolfine Lacquer ArmClinical Responses to the TreatmentsComplete clinical response at 10-month0 percentage of participants
Amorolfine Lacquer ArmClinical Responses to the TreatmentsPartial clinical response at 4-month0 percentage of participants
Amorolfine Lacquer ArmClinical Responses to the TreatmentsPartial clinical response at 10-month28 percentage of participants
Amorolfine Lacquer ArmClinical Responses to the TreatmentsComplete clinical response at 4-month0 percentage of participants
Terbinafine ArmClinical Responses to the TreatmentsComplete clinical response at 10-month16 percentage of participants
Terbinafine ArmClinical Responses to the TreatmentsComplete clinical response at 4-month0 percentage of participants
Terbinafine ArmClinical Responses to the TreatmentsPartial clinical response at 10-month36 percentage of participants
Terbinafine ArmClinical Responses to the TreatmentsPartial clinical response at 4-month44 percentage of participants
p-value: <0.05ANOVA
Secondary

Compliance to the Treatment

Evaluation of compliance was based on patient self-reports of whether the treatment protocol was followed 100% (complete), 80% (good), 60% (moderate), or 40% (poor) of the time.

Time frame: At 4-month time-point

Population: Percentage describes the proportion of patients who declared that they have been followed the instructions completely (100%).

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Resin Lacquer ArmCompliance to the Treatment100 percentage of participants
Amorolfine Lacquer ArmCompliance to the Treatment96 percentage of participants
Terbinafine ArmCompliance to the Treatment100 percentage of participants
p-value: <0.05Chi-squared
Secondary

Cost-effectiveness 1

Cost analysis was based on the retail price (€) and consumption of a 10 ml bottle of Abicin® 30% resin lacquer, a 5 ml bottle of Loceryl® 5% amorolfine lacquer, and 98 tablets of generic 250 mg terbinafine, sold by the University Pharmacy in Helsinki, Finland, January 2014. The cost was expressed as the average treatment cost per patient; for the total cost, this average was extrapolated to the entire study treatment arm. The results show the treatment costs (€) per day per patient in each group.

Time frame: At 10-month time-point

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)
Resin Lacquer ArmCost-effectiveness 10.15 Euros (€)
Amorolfine Lacquer ArmCost-effectiveness 10.21 Euros (€)
Terbinafine ArmCost-effectiveness 10.56 Euros (€)
p-value: <0.05ANOVA
Secondary

Cost-effectiveness 2

Cost analysis was based on the retail price (€) and consumption of a 10 ml bottle of Abicin® 30% resin lacquer, a 5 ml bottle of Loceryl® 5% amorolfine lacquer, and 98 tablets of generic 250 mg terbinafine, sold by the University Pharmacy in Helsinki, Finland, January 2014. The cost was expressed as the average treatment cost per patient; for the total cost, this average was extrapolated to the entire study treatment arm. The results show the treatment costs (€) during the treatment period per patient in each group.

Time frame: At 10-month time-point

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)
Resin Lacquer ArmCost-effectiveness 240.7 Euros (€)
Amorolfine Lacquer ArmCost-effectiveness 255.2 Euros (€)
Terbinafine ArmCost-effectiveness 252.1 Euros (€)
p-value: <0.05ANOVA

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026